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Every week, The Commons mails newspapers to libraries and schools throughout Windham County, and beyond. Of course we do! Part of our mission is make sure that honest, award winning reporting is available to all, regardless of ability to pay.

Now you can help further our mission. Only $75 guarantees a library or school delivery of The Commons for a full year. Join our Sponsor-a-Library program today! Click here (and select “Sponsor a Library” when asked “Apply My Donation To.”)

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More than a newspaper

The Commons is the public face of a larger nonprofit organization, Vermont Independent Media, Inc.

We came to life from the ground up in 2004, as members of the community became increasingly concerned about the consequences of absent corporate ownership of the daily newspaper in town and the need for local people to have access to the skills to create their own grassroots media.

VIM came to life lovingly and carefully thanks to indefatigable volunteers. The first public programs of the Media Mentoring Project began in 2005, and the first issue of The Commons was published in 2006. The newspaper was published monthly until 2010, when we began a weekly schedule. We are published on Wednesdays 51 times a year.

Our mission

Recognizing that a vigorous exchange of ideas and information allows democracy to function and is the lifeblood of a community, Vermont Independent Media:

• creates a forum for community participation,

• promotes local independent journalism,

• fosters civic engagement by building media skills

through publication of The Commons and commonsnews.org, and through the Media Mentoring Project.

Nonprofit IRS filings

By law, every 501(c)3 nonprofit organization must make its IRS filings available to the public. Here are ours.

Office hours

We attempt to keep our small newsroom open during the day on weekdays. But we are sometimes out covering the news, many of us are part-time, and we keep odd hours. We welcome your visit, but please make an appointment so you don't make a special trip.

Directions to the office

We're at 139 Main St., Brattleboro, Vermont (the Hooker-Dunham Building).

Search The Commons from 2010 to present

News

‘Ladies of the Rainbow’ get hot in fundraiser for The Commons, Windham County Heat Fund

There will be a 50/50 raffle and a cash bar. Ticket prices are by donation. Suggested donation is $20 and tickets may be reserved by calling Richard Davis at 802-254-2240 or Daryl Pillsbury at 802-254-4285, or by email at wcheatfund@comcast.net.

BRATTLEBORO—“Heating it up with the Ladies of the Rainbow,” on Saturday, Sept. 22, at 8 p.m. at the Eagles Hall on Chickering Drive, will be a joint fundraiser for Vermont Independent Media — the nonprofit publisher of The Commons — and the Windham County Heat Fund.

The drag show has become a very popular local event and usually sells out in advance. This is adult entertainment and is not suitable for children. Doors will open at 7 p.m., and the show will begin at 8 p.m.

New to the lineup this year will be emcee Brandi Wine (aka Daryl Pillsbury) who will add a new kind of flavor to the program.

The Commons began as a monthly newspaper in 2006, and started weekly publication in June 2010. As Windham County’s award-winning and independent source for news and views, The Commons is made available to everyone, free of charge, at more than 200 locations around Windham County, and online at commonsnews.org.

In 2005, Pillsbury and Richard Davis decided to find a way to help people struggling to pay for home heating fuel who weren’t eligible for existing programs. They simply decided to raise money and then figure out who was in need and help those people.

The Windham County Heat Fund, now in its 13th year, is a one-time stopgap for those in need, usually consisting of a minimum fuel delivery. The Fund tries to make sure people have explored all other avenues of assistance first.

They have worked closely with Southeastern Vermont Community Action and the Windham County HELP Fund so that people can be connected with assistance programs. Solid relationships have been created with local fuel dealers and local human service agencies.

The Heat Fund has no overhead and no administrative expenses. All money used to pay fuel bills is given directly to fuel dealers and deposited into the accounts of people and families receiving donations.

Like what we do? Help us keep doing it!

We rely on the donations and financial support of our readers to help make The Commons available to all. Please join us today.

Editor’s note: Our terms of service require you to use your real names. We will remove anonymous or pseudonymous comments that come to our attention. We rely on our readers’ personal integrity to stand behind what they say; please do not write anything to someone that you wouldn’t say to his or her face without your needing to wear a ski mask while saying it. Thanks for doing your part to make your responses forceful, thoughtful, provocative, and civil. We also consider your comments for the letters column in the print newspaper.

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